Hammer Attack in Larnaca: Man Smashes 5 Social Workers’ Cars

Early this morning in the area of Ayii Anargyri (Larnaca), a 51-year-old local man caused mayhem outside the office of the Social Welfare Service (YKE), smashing the windshields of five employees’ vehicles with a crowbar. The incident triggered a wave of strikes across Cyprus.

What caused the aggression?
The man receives the minimum allowance (EEE) and in recent days had been demanding that social workers find him housing. He was told that by law he must find an apartment himself, after which the state would subsidize the rent. Not getting what he wanted, the man turned to violence. The attacker has already been arrested by police.

Protests and panic among employees
In protest, the ISOTITA and PASYDI trade unions immediately suspended operations at the offices. Employees say they went through a real nightmare. Civil servants on the front line have been pushed to the limit: «There is a serious risk that next time we will be mourning victims».

The deeper problem: confusion between agencies
The unions say that social workers are constantly made scapegoats because of structural chaos:
1. Citizens confuse the Social Welfare Service with the agency that grants benefits (these are two different structures).
2. Housing policy is the responsibility of the Interior Ministry, not social services, which can only provide temporary shelter. People take out their frustration with the system on frontline employees who physically cannot hand them an apartment.

What are the workers demanding?
The unions insist on the immediate introduction of strict security measures in all offices and on a clear delineation of responsibilities, so that citizens can finally understand which agency is responsible for what.